China Southern Airlines' new non-stop service
between New York and Guangzhou is a lot more than just a
top-flight connection between two of the world's great
cities.

"We want to present the new service as an
anniversary gift," said China Southern Airlines chairman Si
Xianmin, referring to the 35th anniversary of the
establishment of China-US diplomatic relations.

China Southern's first direct Guangzhou-New
York flight arrived early Wednesday morning with a
delegation from China aboard, including Si, and China
Southern executive vice-president Chen Gang and assistant
president Li Jun. "With over a million Chinese living and
working in New York city, and approximately 650,000 Chinese
visiting New York city every year, this new direct route
from Guangzhou will strengthen the relationship among our
two regions by increasing opportunities for tourism and
communication."

At the welcoming ceremony after the flight's
arrival at the JFK International Airport, Si said: "Growing
economic and people-to-people exchanges between the US and
China have created a great platform for China Southern
Airlines to launch the new service."

"As the largest city in the United States,
New York is truly the capital of the world," Si said. "It is
the world center of finance, trade, science, information
technology and has no equal. Guangzhou is the third largest
city in China and the political, economic, scientific and
cultural center of southern China."

This is the first-ever non-stop service
between the two cities, connecting the Big Apple to China's
biggest manufacturing and commercial hub. Guangzhou, the
capital of Guangdong province, is the third-largest city in
China after Beijing and Shanghai, with a population of 11
million. The city's economy is vital to the country, with
the local economy growing 11.6 percent year-on-year in 2013,
reaching $253.8 billion.

Cheng Lei, acting consul general of the
Chinese Consulate General in New York, congratulated the
airlines on the new route, saying that tourism can play a
major role in establishing bilateral relations.

"Tourists are not tourists, they are people,
ambassadors between our two countries," he said. "I do hope
my brothers and sisters come from Guangzhou. China will not
only spend more in New York City and its surroundings, but
also learn more from the city and from the United States."

The airline hosted a seminar to introduce the
direct flight to travel agents and held a gala reception at
New York City's iconic Plaza Hotel.

China Southern is based in Guangzhou,
operating at the Baiyun International Airport. It is one of
the largest airlines in the world by number of passengers
carried. The airline carried more than 90 million passengers
last year, according to the company.

China
Southern Airlines, which is the largest airline carrier in
Asia, hosted an unforgettable dinner gala at the Plaza hotel
to celebrate their inaugural direct route from
Guangzhou, China to New York.

The evening, which included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
followed by dinner and live entertainment, was well attended
by US and Chinese government representatives including
Consul General of China Lei Cheng, the
President & Chairman of China Southern Airlines, Si Xianmin,
NY Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales, New York City
Council member Mark Treygar, NY Assemblyman William Colton,
Governor Cuomo’s Office Regional Representative Linda Sun,
and other esteemed guests including President of Delta
Airlines Edward Bastian, TV News personality and WABC host
Rita Cosby, actress Julianne Michelle, President of Emma New
York Chih-Chin Sun, and film producer and Vice President of
Supernova Media, Joycelyn Engle. Black Tie International
Magazine, Publisher, Gerard Mc Keon,
and Andrea Spring Managing Director Blue Star
Jets

Also of notable mention was the announcement of the official
partnership between NY Empire State and China Southern
Airlines by NY Governor Andrew Cuomo to further promote
Chinese tourism in New York State as part of his Global
Tourism Initiative.

“By partnering with China Southern Airlines, I LOVE NEW YORK
is taking a giant step forward to promote the best place in
the world to travel – New York State,” Governor Cuomo said.
“Collaborating with Asia’s largest airline will make
everything that we have to offer more accessible to China’s
bustling market, quite literally providing a gateway to the
iconic Empire State. New York is experiencing record levels
of tourism in both New York City and Upstate New York, and
our administration will continue to foster this surge so
that spending by visitors and investment by businesses can
continue to grow local economies.”

To signify
this new marketing partnership and the long lasting
friendship between the US and China,
Jeff Hofgard, vice-president of International Operations and
Policy for Boeing Government Operations, presented a welcome
gift of a bronze American eagle to Chairman of China
Southern Airlines Si Xianmin.

"As the largest city in the United States, New York is truly
the
capital of the world," Si said. "It is the world center of finance, trade,
science, information technology and has no equal. Guangzhou
is the third largest city
in China and the political, economic,
scientific and cultural center of southern China."

Toast to the success of the Guangzhou, China to
JFK, route. Gambai!
Mr. Si Xianmin,
Chairman of China Southern Airlines,
Mr. Chen Gang,Executive
Vice President of China Southern Airlines, and the gentleman
on the right is Mr. Thomas Flynn,
Managing Director of BNY Mellon.

For more than 30 years, China Southern - www.csair.com- has been the largest airline in The People’s
Republic of China and is headquartered
at the ultra-modern Baiyun International Airport Guangzhou. China Southern
operates
a fleet of more than 550 aircraft
and serves 193 cities in 30 countries and regions, forming
an extensive network with Guangzhou and Beijing as its hubs.

China Southern is a proud member of
SkyTeam and together with member airlines
offers passengers a worldwide
system of more than 19,000 daily flights spanning more than
1,000 destinations
in 187 countries.